EQIP – Environmental Quality Incentives Program Sign-up

Monday

Jan 7, 2013 at 3:15 PMJan 7, 2013 at 3:17 PM

EQIP is a voluntary conservation program from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). EQIP provides technical assistance, and incentive payments to assist crop, livestock, and other agricultural producers with environmental, conservation and energy improvements to their operations. This assistance is to help landowners implement structural, vegetative, management practices, and Conservation Activity Plans (CAP).

EQIP is a voluntary conservation program from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). EQIP provides technical assistance, and incentive payments to assist crop, livestock, and other agricultural producers with environmental, conservation and energy improvements to their operations. This assistance is to help landowners implement structural, vegetative, management practices, and Conservation Activity Plans (CAP). Some common practices in Yellow Medicine county are grassed waterways, water and sediment control basins, terraces, nutrient management, pest management, no till, strip till, closure of waste impoundments, conservation crop rotation, tree and shrub establishment, seasonal high tunnels, drainage water management, windbreaks/shelterbelts, native prairie seeding, prescribed burning, and rotational grazing systems consisting of fence, pipeline, well, water tanks, and pasture seeding.Some new practices offered for 2013 are the Conservation Activity Plans (CAP) for Farmstead Energy Improvements, Agricultural Energy Management, Grazing Management, Fish & Wildlife Habitat Management, and Pollinator Habitat. There are also CAP’s for Nutrient Management, Forest Management, Integrated Pest Management, Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan, Drainage Water Management, and Irrigation Water Management Plant. Many practices now require a Conservation Activity Plan (CAP) be completed before applying for the a specific practice. All CAP’s must be completed by a Technical Service Provider (TSP).We are currently accepting applications for the EQIP Programs. If you have interest in this program, please contact our office as soon as possible so we can begin planning. The first ranking period is January 18, 2013. There will be additional ranking periods to follow, depending on the availability of funds. Early planning this winter will be ideal in order to get the best possible chance of funding for your application.If you have any questions about EQIP, please contact Cory Walker or Jon Paul Pringle at the NRCS office in Clarkfield at (320) 669-4442 ext 3.